[Mushi Uta v3 ] Chapter 4.02: Shiika Part 6

おめでとり！
(Congratulation!)

Enjoy!
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Version: 1.01
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4.02

Shiika Part 6



“Wha…? Eh?”

Yuu shifted her gaze back and forth between Ubuki and Shiika.

“You said we wouldn’t meet again… What does that mean?...”

“It means that the three of us will be parting ways here!”

Ubuki spoke in her usual laidback tone. Yuu then turned to look at Shiika.

“Shiika-san!”

Shiika pursed her lips tight, while clenching her fists.

While on the trip to buy new glasses for Yuu, Ubuki had already told Shiika about this. At that time, Shiika was also questioning her just like Yuu.

“Ubuki said last night… she saw the combat squad flying towards Ouka City…”

Shiika, who could not look Yuu in the eye, said that while hanging her head low.

While to the side, Ubuki was nodding her head while sighing.

“Yeah, that amount was like nothing we have ever seen before, no kidding! It seemed like the full force that Erii-tan mentioned had all gathered near the border of Ouka City. From this point onward, we can’t use little tricks to get across anymore.”

“No---“

Yuu interrupted Ubuki.

“No! I don’t want that! Didn’t we promise to go Ouka City together?! Didn’t Shiika-san promise to give me the painting that (LadyBird) drew?!”

Yuu charged into Shiika’s arms before hugging her. Shiika was also having the same feeling as Yuu; she didn’t want to be separated from Ubuki and Yuu.

“This is not the time for you to be wayward okay?”

Ubuki gently stroked Yuu’s head with a smile.

“Didn’t you say you would absolutely obey everything that I say?”

“Ubuki…”

“Shiika-tan, you too!”

Ubuki continued smiling, while lifting her finger to point at the direction of Ouka City.

“As long as you enter Ouka City following this national highway, you should be able to see the Ouka East High School on your way! As for Yuu-tan, you have to go to the East Central Division that’s on the other side. After getting out of the residential area, and crossing over a bridge, you should be able to see a building called the New Ministry of the Environmental Affair along the way. Although it seems like an ordinary government agency on the surface, that building is actually the East Central Division’s base. As long as you explain properly to them, they should be able to take you. The Central Headquarters’ pursuers probably have already arrived at Ouka City, so it’s best to not use any transportation. And since both of them were pretty far away from here, the chance of successfully arriving there within the time limit is probably around half!”

“Ubuki-san! Why aren’t you coming with us?! Have you already given up on us?”

“Yuu-tan, do you believe in the words I said?”

With her eyes filled with tears, Yuu strongly nodded her head in response to Ubuki’s question. This caused Ubuki to immediately show a pleased smile.

“What about you Ubuki? What are you going to do?”

The slender teenage girl immediately replied to Shiika’s question without any hesitation.

“I’m going to be the bait!”

“…!”

“I will divert the Central Headquarters’ attention as much as possible, so you guys have to finish your missions as soon as possible okay?!”

Both Shiika and Yuu were gazing at Ubuki dazedly.

“Why---“

Shiika’s chest was feeling a pain akin to being struck by needles. She had felt this pain before in the past --- it was when she saw Rina’s last smile in the Ouka East High’s classroom.

“But didn’t you say you were going to find help?!”

“Yeah, I just contacted them. They said they will come to Ouka City, that’s why you guys have to get to Ouka City before them. If we were to go there together, we will get surrounded immediately, and it will be a game over for sure. Therefore, I’ll be in charge of distracting the enemies.”

“B-But…! If you were to do that, Ubuki-san you will---”

“I will die, right?”

Ubuki scratched her head with an indifferent look while saying that. This caused Shiika and Yuu to become speechless.

“Shiika-tan, Yuu-tan, if I were to die… Would you guys feel sad?”

“Isn’t that obvious?!”

“Of course we would!”

Both Shiika and Yuu shouted those lines at the same time. Ubuki showed a slightly surprised expression before switching back to her smiling face.

“Mmm, I got it. I won’t die then!”

“Ubuki……”

“Now then, let me brief you on the operation mission plan! You two, listen carefully okay?!”

Ubuki held onto Shiika’s and Yuu’s hand.

“Shiika-tan, you’re responsible for obtaining your friend’s painting! Yuu-tan, you have to deliver the CD to (Kakkou). And me, I have to try my best to not die! If we were to make it, this will be our complete victory!”

“Hah… You can’t even call this a plan… Besides, how are we gonna tell each other if we succeed or not…?”

“Mmm --- how about shout it out? Perhaps the other two might be able to hear it!”

“How’s that possible?!”

Yuu, who was being held by Ubuki, was crying while laughing.

Shiika could also feel Ubuki’s warmth, along with her heartbeat, flowing over through her palms.

“I…I-I still haven’t returned the favor for all the things you’ve done for me Ubuki… Also, I haven’t asked you… What do I do after I obtain the painting…”

“M-Me too…Ubuki-san…”

Ubuki narrowed her eyes.

“Of course, I didn’t intend on letting you getting away just like that! For Shiika-tan… after you successfully obtain the painting, you will know.”

“After I successfully obtain the painting?”

“W-What about me? Ubuki-san…”

“For Yuu-tan---“

Ubuki gazed straight at Yuu.

“You have to take care, and be a good girl!”

“…!”

Yuu could not hold on anymore; tears began to pour out from her eyes as she hugged Ubuki tightly.

Hearing the sound of Yuu’s sobbing, Shiika and Ubuki exchanged glances with each other.

“Ubuki…”

“Don’t worry about me! After the enemies have gathered, I’ll run away! You’re the one that definitely cannot be caught, okay?”

“Mhm.”

Through a view that would distort at any moment, Shiika tried to imprint Ubuki’s smile into her mind as much as possible.

“I hope that… One day… Ubuki you can return to the Island…”

Ubuki’s expression immediately darkened.

“Mm… That was originally my dream. But… the Island is no longer…”

“You definitely can, someday… both the Island and Ubuki, you will be…”

Ubuki widened her eyes.

“The Island too…?”

“Mhm.”

“You mean… you want me to return that Island to what it used to be… Aoharima Island…?”

Shiika nodded her head in response. Ubuki then lowered her head and gave it a thought.

“To return…that Island…to what it used to be…”

The teenage girl slowly raised her head before showing a smile filled with joy:

“Hehe, I just found a new dream!”

Shiika overlapped herself onto Yuu, and tightly embraced Ubuki as well.

“Thank you…Ubuki…I-I definitely won’t be caught anymore… That’s why Ubuki you also…”

“Thank you, Ubuki-san……”

“……”

Ubuki also tightly embraced Yuu and Shiika, before letting them go slowly. She put on her white long coat and goggles, and fused with the raven dragonfly. On the teenage girl’s back appeared two pairs of black wings.

“I feel really happy… that I was able to meet Ubuki and Yuu-chan!”

Shiika gazed at the two of them while saying that.

“Me too…”

Yuu added on while shedding tears.

“You have no idea how hard it was for me! Both of you are just so wayward!”

Ubuki replied with a smile.

“H-Hey, that’s my line! It’s obvious that you’re the most wayward one!”

The teenage girls broke into laughter at the same time.

“Well then… Congratulations!”

Hearing Ubuki shouting out that line, Shiika exchanged glances with Yuu for an instant.

However, the two of them immediately showed a smile afterward, because they understood what that line means right away.

At this moment, the three of them should only think about how they would fulfill their missions.

Ubuki would not die, and Yuu would accomplish her mission. Shiika strongly believed in them, just like how they believed in her.

“Congratulations!”

“Congratulations!”

Using a word that congratulates one’s success to replace farewell, the three teenage girls each turned and ran.

Shiika faced towards Ouka East High School.

Yuu faced towards the East Central Division where (Kakkou) was situated.

Ubuki faced towards the sky where enemies await.

The three of them had only one destination, and that was Ouka City.


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Thank you for reading~
Feel free to leave comments for any questions or feedback~

And so, each of them begin their final test ~ =D